Ohden, Merlyn Eldon (1934-2005)

OHDEN, BOWERS, PETERSON, OLSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 3/25/2023 at 12:52:14

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Tuesday, November 2, 2005/West Central Tribune, November 1, 2005

Merlyn E. Ohden, 71, Prinsburg, Minn., formerly of Williams, died Monday morning, Oct. 31, at Bethesda Heritage Care Center in Willmar, Minn. following an extended illness. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at First Christian Reformed Church in Prinsburg. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. at the Tri-County Funeral Home in Prinsburg and one hour prior to the service at the church.

PRINSBURG -- Merlyn Eldon Ohden, 71, of Prinsburg died Monday at Bethesda Heritage Care Center in Willmar after an extended illness.

The service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Christian Reformed Church in Prinsburg. Burial will be at the Holland Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Tri-County Funeral Home in Prinsburg and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

He was born April 27, 1934, near Dows, Iowa, to Dirk and Marie (Bowers) Ohden. The family moved to Williams, Iowa. He attended country school and graduated from Williams High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army as a teletype repairman during the Korean War, from 1953 to 1955. He returned to farming in 1956.

He married Doris Peterson on March 19, 1960, in Hallock. They moved to a farm near Willmar in 1982, and later to a farm near Sacred Heart. They moved to Prinsburg in 1998, and he retired from farming and pursued a career in real estate appraisal.

He was a member of the Lions International for over 20 years and served as president, treasurer and Tail Twister. He was a board member and president of the County Pork Producers Association and director of the County Extension Board for three years. He was a 4-H leader for five years. He was a member of First Christian Reformed Church, served on the church council, was Sunday school superintendent for five years, and was project superintendent of the church addition in 2000.

He is survived by his wife; children: Daniel (and Gina) Ohden, Douglas (and Karla) Ohden, all of Raymond, Nancy (and Kevin) Olson of Big Lake; seven grandchildren; and one brother: Richard (and Vera) Ohden of Plant City, Fla.

He was preceded in death by one sister.